Adedayo, who made the allegation in a letter addressed to a former governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, said that Governor Abiodun had also instructed the Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in the state, Akibu Efele, and some members of the Black Axe confraternity based in Ijebu Ode to punish him.
The Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, who accused the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, of withholding more than N17 billion statutory Federal Allocation meant for the state’s local governments in the last two years, has raised an alarm that the governor is organising a kangaroo impeachment process in the local government against him.
Adedayo, who made the allegation in a letter addressed to a former governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, said that Governor Abiodun had also instructed the Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in the state, Akibu Efele, and some members of the Black Axe confraternity based in Ijebu Ode to punish him.
SaharaReporters had reported that the council chairman, Adedayo in the letter noted that there had been zero federal allocation to each local government area in the state since they got on board in 2021.
According to the letter, Adedayo asked Osoba, to urgently wade in, and convince Abiodun to allow the statutory federal allocation to local governments in Ogun State to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution.
Adedayo in the letter obtained by Daily Trust alleged that the trend of denying local governments their due federal allocations by the state government began during the administration of former governor Ibikunle Amosun.
However, Governor Abiodun has reportedly denied the allegation saying that his administration had to augment the funds allocated to local governments in the state to enable the council chairmen to meet their obligations.
The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran said the local government funds were being handled by the constitutionally recognised Joint Account and Allocation Committee.
He argued that the JAAC members ensure the council chairmen get the required allocations for optimal performance, adding that over N5 billion was shared among the 20 local government areas in the state, at the JAAC’s meeting held a week ago.
However, in an update on the matter, Adedayo said on Thursday, “I have been summoned to Abeokuta for a meeting with the Secretary to the State Government and possibly Mr. Governor too. On my way there now.
“The Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA) in my local government has also been summoned along with the Clerk of our Legislative House.
“Efforts were made to give money to our councillors to impeach me yesterday. But they were only able to get four of our 11 councillors.
“The Department of State Services called a few minutes back that I should see the State Director in Abeokuta by 10 tomorrow.
“The Ogun State chairman of RTEAN, Akibu Efele, I learnt has been instructed to 'deal with' me along with some Black Axe members based in Ijebu Ode.”